Best Starting Traits In Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

Summary

• Tough provides a 20% increase in limb HP, increasing survivability when fighting apocalyptic creatures.
• Quick boosts action points by 10%, an important bonus for outrunning enemies in the early-game.
• Night Vision enhances sight range at night, improving nighttime looting efficiency, especially in cities.

Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead (CDDA) is a turn-based survival horror rogue-like. It is primarily community-developed and is free to download via GitHub. In this title, gamers can play in a world newly ravaged by simultaneous apocalypses, from zombie outbreaks to Lovecraftian horrors. They can learn to fight, hide, and flee these monsters while scavenging from the remains of humanity. On top of that, they must remain aware of afflictions like hunger, sickness, and injury, each of which is just as significant a threat as any apocalyptic creature.

During character creation, players can choose positive traits that uniquely impact gameplay. These traits are key to survival, providing benefits that range from increasing hit points and carrying capacity to giving players unique abilities. For those unsure of what to pick, here are the best starting traits in Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead.

1 Tough

Prepared To Take A Beating

• Increases limb hit points by 20%.

The Tough trait is a must-have for players looking to fight apocalyptic horrors. Increasing the hit points of every limb by 20%, this trait allows even new characters to take a real beating. For players who prefer to fight rather than flee, bonus hit points help stop combat from turning deadly.

This trait is still a boon for players who are more focused on exploration. In a world where fighting is inevitable, even for the stealthiest of characters, the increase in hit points allows players to explore for longer, as they can better absorb damage.

2 Quick

Faster Speeds And More Hits

• Increases character action points by 10%.

Whether players want to hide, run, or fight through the apocalypse, Quick is a fantastic trait. Boosting a character’s action points by 10%, this trait increases the base speed, movement order, and amount of hits a player can make per turn. These stat bonuses are vital in the early game, where outrunning and out damaging even the weakest of enemies can mean the difference between life and death.

In combat, this trait allows players to use faster weapons to get additional hits. It also helps to limit the attack speed reduction caused by early combat pain debuffs. In the long-term, the speed buff from this trait can also help players to flee from lethal evolved enemies.

3 Night Vision

See Them Before Being Seen

• Gives characters the ‘night vision’ ability.

Night Vision is a trait that allows players to toggle on the Night Vision ability, increasing their sight range at night. This trait dramatically enhances nighttime looters’ survivability and efficiency, making enemies easier to avoid and items easier to locate.

No place is this trait better than for exploring cities, almost all of which are crawling with the undead. Though a massive danger during the day, zombies have a tiny vision range at night. As long as players watch their step and make sure not to make too much noise, characters with this trait can safely loot most cities. There is always the risk of rounding a corner right into a flesh-eating zombie, though.

4 Pain Resistant

Reduced Combat Debuffs

• Makes characters resistant to pain

Players seeking a more combat-orientated survival experience will want to pick up Pain Resistant. This trait gives characters a high tolerance for Pain, increasing their tankiness by helping them avoid speed, attack, and stat debuffs associated with Pain.

Pain Resistant goes a long way to improving a character’s survivability, both during the early game and in the long-term. In early games where strong and satisfying weapons are not readily available, this trait can help prevent players from becoming incapacitated by Pain. Long-term, this trait will allow players to fight harder for longer and take on more powerful enemy evolutions without fear of incapacitation. Well, at least from Pain.

5 Indefatigable

Avoid Exhaustion

• Increases character stamina

Choosing Indefatigable as a starting trait is a surefire way to boost character survivability for veterans and new players alike. This trait increases character stamina, improving how long they can fight or run before becoming exhausted. Attacking and running, whether jogging or sprinting, quickly drains stamina.

Low stamina will cause even the most powerful characters to become incapacitated, as they receive drastic speed debuffs. In combat, characters will have such low attack speed that they will be left all but defenseless against a seemingly endless barrage of hits. Meanwhile, running characters will find their movement speed drastically decreasing as their stamina drains until even the slowest zombies can outpace them. Avoiding exhaustion is vital for survival.

6 Fast Reflexes

Avoid Damage & Pain

• Increases character dodging success rate

Fast Reflexes allow characters to dodge attacks more easily. Whether in combat or trying to flee, a greater chance of dodging will significantly boost one’s survivability, helping players avoid losing hit points and gaining speed debuffs from pain. Characters with Fast Reflexes can fight or flee apocalyptic horrors faster and longer.

This trait is particularly beneficial early game, where weak characters take lots of damage and can quickly become overwhelmed by pain. While the long-term usefulness of this trait is limited by increasing a character’s dodging skill, any boost to dodging chances, no matter how small, can be the difference between life and death in this apocalypse.

7 Fast Healer

Rapid Repair

• Increases character healing rate

As the name suggests, this trait increases a character’s healing, including HP regeneration and wound and broken limb repair. Whether early or late game, this trait significantly improves character survivability. Increased recovery rate reduces the frequency of players venturing from their base while at low health, whether due to resource shortages or sheer impatience. It also increases the time a player can explore without returning home to recover.

Long-term, Fast Healer helps characters survive the killer beasts of late-game CDDA. For those interested in cybernetic enhancements, Fast Healer also provides quicker recovery from frequent complications.

8 Addiction Resistant

Lower Costs

• Decreases addiction chance
• Makes addictions easier to remove

Addiction Resistant is a trait tailor-made for those looking to optimize their survival experience. Reducing the chance of an addiction developing and making it easier to remove addictions, this trait allows players to use stat-enhancing substances often and with limited long-term impacts. In a bind, these substances can easily save a character’s life.

For longer games, this trait allows optimization of character performance, improving everything from skill development to combat abilities. In a world where players are in a constant battle of evolution against monsters, substance use can mean the difference between being the hunter or the prey.